Hi all:
I am astounded at the qso success I have had with my K2. I figured when
I built this baby that I would occassionally have a solid qso but the
poor guy on the other end would have to crank up his hearing aid to hear
my puny signal. Boy, was I amazed at how wrong I was. If I did not know
better, I would believe I was running 100 watts, not the 10 watts I run.
I have logged 32 qsos now and have worked 23 countries, easily. My worst
report was one 539. Next worst was one 559, next, a 569. The rest, 579
or better. The 569 came from a VK2 - a ten minute solid qso, on 30m
(wire antenna). In a qso with a W2, I was peaking over s9. I have even
busted a few (small) pileups. I usually answer the other guy's CQ.
Seldom do I have to give my call more than once or twice. A couple
nights ago, in 20 minutes, I worked Senegal (6W), Morocco, Algeria, and
Canary Islands. WOW!!! (I can't believe it either) All with 10 watts.
I do have considerable dx experience - 5 band dxcc; mostly cw,
unconfirmed by ARRL (too lazy to seperate all those cards) and apparently
a good antenna system. Most of this work? was done on an inverted vee
with 68' high apex, fed with open wire feeder and homebrew tuner. The 20
meter antenna is a 40+ year old 3 el Telrex monobander, fed with 30 year
old RG213 Belden coax, which I previously thought was surely dead from
old age. Guess not! And no, I don't live on a mountaintop.
One thought - this report says to me that cw is a killer mode, and should
still be a license requirement.
Finally, I love the K2. I love it's qsk, its receiver, and just about
everything about it. If it only made money for me, it would be perfect
plus. Otherwise, it's merely perfect. Thanks, Elecraft. You have
renewed my zeal for ham radio.
George, N4YM (hamming for 50 years)
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